Concentrator



(No Model.)

.G. A. METGALF.

GONOENTRATOR.

Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. M ETFALF, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,050, dated Cetolzer 2, 1883. Application filed May 3, 1883. (No model.)

1'0 (all whom, it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE A. Mn'rcALF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators; and I a do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon that for which Letters Patent of the United States, NOJ255, 651, were granted to me March 28, 1882,1"01: oreseparators. In that device the heavy and valuable ore was separated from the waste material by specific gravity in an upward current of water divided into minute jets by a finely-perforated diaphragm, and a rotary agitator was employed to continuously stir the mass and expose allits particles to the force of the numerous jets. My present i1n1 rovement retains these 'arious features, and adapts the apparatus for use as a concentrator by the additions and alterations herein shown and described.

This invention consists inv the devices and combinations of devices set forth in the appended claims.

The drawing is aperspective view of myimproved machine, a 'part being shown broken away to make clear the internal construction, illustrating certain details.

The primary object of this improvement is to adapt my former apparatus to use as a concentrator, and to'prov'ide means for gathering up the ores and preserving the quicksilver that escapes downwardly through the finely perforated diaphragm, and carries with it the linest particles of the ore, thus accumulating, with the quicksilver, the flour gold or silver, which is subsequently separated.

The apparatus requires a tank, A, preferabl y of metal, and made of dimensions adapted to the amount of material to be operated upon at once. 7

B is the diaphragm, upon which the mass of material rests while under treatment. It spans the tank near the bottom, is preferably of iron or steel, and is pierced with numerous minute holes, through which the water, admitted beneath it, under pressure, from the pipe (J, ascends in forcible jets through the min eral bearing mass, which is eflectually stirred meanwhile by the downwardly-projecting prongs d of the rotary head D, to separate the material, so that the waste is discharged at the top by the gate E, as stated in my former patent.

I make the bottom of thetank to taper downwardly toward the center, from which point rises a hollow post, G, to support by a collar or shoulder the center of the diaphragm under the weight of material. This post also supports 011 asuitable shoulder (not shown) the rotary agitator and the hopper l-I, formed in one with it, and serves as a shaft around which the agitator and hopper revolve, driven by any suitable power, a belt, J, beingshown in the drawing.

A tube, I, running up through the post G, carries a small stream of water to the hopper to facilitate the feeding of the material downward for treatment, and this stream is controlled and kept from throwing out the material by an inward-turned lip, it, at the top of the hopper. The quicksilver mingled with the mass makes its way rapidly downward agai nst the watenmirrents, and carries through the periorations of the diaphragm and into the pocket .L, beneath it, the fine particles of gold and silver which it has taken up. This amalgam is withdrawn from time to time through a siphon or cock, M, extending from the lowest part of the pocket L, whence it passes into aiine canvas strainer, N, which re tains the ore,while the quicksilver is received in the tank 0. i

A glass panel, B, may be provided in the side of the tank for inspection 01 the work as it proceeds.

Atube, 1?, extending down through the diaphragm and bottom of the tank A, has a suitable gate l'or discharge of the concentrates or metal too coarse to pass through the minute perforations of the diaphragm B. This material is received in any suitable vessel and subj eeted to further treatment to eliminate all impurities. I,

The tailings discharged at the gate E may be run over amal gamatingplat es, ril'tles, or blankets, if desired, in order to extractan y val uable metal that might otherwise be lost.

I claim as my invention 1. The tank A, provided wit-l1 alixed central post, in combination 'with a finely-perforated diaphragm fixed marglnally to the tank,- and supported centrally by said post, and with a rotary agitator adapted to revolve around said fixed post, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The tank A, provided with a fixed and finely-perforated diaphragm, and with an inlet-pipe admitting water 'under pressure beneath said diaphragm, in Combination with a hollow stationary central post, and with an agitator and hopper adapted to revolve together around said post, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The tank A, having a finely-perforated diaphragm, B, and a tapering bottom provided with a discharge pipe or cook, in combination with a rotary head having a series of vertical stirring-prongs extending downward, and a rotary hopper extending upward from it, substantially as set forth.

4. The tankA,havingahollow central shaft adapted to admit a pipe carrying an upward jet of water, under pressure, to the hopper, in

combination with the hopper H, having its upper edge turned inward to control said jet, substantially as set forth.

5. The tank A, rotary agitator D d, perforated diaphragm B, and amalgam-pocket L,@

in combination with the gates M and P, serving, respectively, to discharge the metal from below and above the diaphragm, and the gate or overflow E for discharge of the tailings, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, GEORGE A. METOALF.

Vitnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, E. A. PHELPs. 

